And william kent



(No Model.)

- A. SPRINGER & W. KENT. 4

' GRAIN I; BE.

Patented July 5, 1887. Y

A 6 $63 r. m 4

fur,"

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED SPRINGER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, AND \VILLIAM KENT, OF JERSEY CITY,NEW JERSEY.

GRAIN-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 365,875, dated July 5,1887.

Application filed November 24, 1886. Serial No. 219,840. (No model.)

- T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALFRED SPRINGER. and WVILLIAM KENT, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Cincinnati, Ohio, and Jersey City,

New Jersey, respectively, have invented new and useful ImprovementsinGrain-Meters, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to grain-meters, its object being to provide asimple, inexpensive,

1o durable, and efficient apparatus for the automatic measuring of graindelivered continuously thereto by a series of registrable movements; towhich end it consists in an apparatus embodying as a leadingconstructive r5 principle a grain-conduit bifurcated into twodelivery-tubes having movable bottoms upheld by an oscillating weightacting as an overbalance to a beam pivoted preferably upon a torsionalpivot, and a valve governing the distribution of grain into thedelivery'tubes actuated by the oscillation of the beam.

Mechanism embodying ourinvention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, 'in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, ofthe apparatus complete; Fig. 2, a vertical cross-section of the same inthe plane a: of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, a plan section in the plane 3 ofFig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a grain-conduit bifurcated intotwo spouts, a b, terminating below in the delivery-receptacles B 0.These are provided with hinged bottoms c, upheld upon and by acentrally-pivoted balance-beam, 1), controlled by overbalancingweight W,adjustably mounted upon a standard, S, rising rigidly from the beam"centrally above its pivot of oscillation. \Ve prefer to employ atorsional pivot for the beam D, the

0 same consisting of a band or strip, P, of elastic metal, tensionedaround a tension-frame, E,

which is attached to or cast as part of a eross-- brace, F, by which itis joined to and supported by and between the receptacles B O, as shown.5 The frame is a plate of metal formed to carry the torsion-pivot P in arectangular path around it externally, with the upper side of the framerecessed to enable the beam D to be clamped centrally to the pivot atsuch side and so permit free oscillation of the beam. One or both ends 6of the tension-frame may be made separate, to permit wedging out totension the pivot. As shown, the beam D is bifurcated at each end, topass around to each side of the receptacles, and is provided at eachbifurcated end with a pivotal link, (I, engaging the hinged bottom a atthe proper distance from its hinge. These pivots may be of cylindricalform, held in the ordinary bearings. The lower ends or months of thereceptacles B and O are formed .at the sides opposite the hinge-lineofthe bottoms '0 to the are traversed by the outer edge of the saidbottoms, and the bottom edges of the receptacles properly inclined, soas to permit the movement of hinged bottoms from the extreme upperposition at the horizontal line 1 to the said inclined edge indicated at2 without opening the receptacle to discharge contents. Thus when theapparatus is in the position indicated in Fig. 1 both hinged bottoms 7ocoincide with the plane of the lower edges of the receptacles B O, andthe overbalanci11gweight W (whose function will be more fully described)is in its neutral vertical position. The tilting of the apparatus beyondthis point 7 5 will open one of the hinged bottoms to the positionindicated by dotted lines and close the other to the line 1. The weightW normally holds the beam D, overweighted at one side or the other ofits axis of oscillation,untilthegrain .80 descending into the receptaclewhose bottom is elevated accumulates sufficiently in Weight tocounterbalance the beam and raise the weight V to and past its neutralpoint, whence its statical moment is transferred to the then al- 8 5ready overweighted side and drops the bottom from the filled receptacle.The amount or weight of grain required to thus overbalance the weight Wand elevate it from an extreme position to the neutral position formsthe unit ,of measure effected by the apparatus, and the alternatingmovementsthus produced are utilized to actuate registering apparatus,which may be of any of the many devices in common use. We have not shownthe registering ap- 5 paratus herein, as the same forms no part of ourinvention.

It remains to describe the means for shunting the grain from the conduitA into the receptacles B and O in harmony with the oscil- 10o lations ofthe apparatus. Any suitable valve That form mechanism may be employed.

which we deem preferable, and have illustrated in the drawings, consistsof a wing-valve, 'v, pivoted in the angle of junction between theconduit A and its bifurcations a b. The walls of the conduit above thehorizontal plane of the valve are curved to the arc of its rotation, asshown, whereby, as will be seen from Fig. 1, its movement in opening tothe receptacles is alternate and exclusive. The movement is effected bya slotted arm or yoke, f, attached to the standard S, engaging cranks gat the termini of the valve-pivot p.

The unit of measure developed by the apparatus may be varied withinlimits by elevating or depressing the weight WV upon its standard S,provision being made for the same by threading the weight upon thestandard. A wider variation may be effected by substituting otherweights.

The principal advantage of apparatus constructed and operating upon theprinciples herein set forth is, that the pivot of oscillation isrelieved of the dead-weight of the structure, and carries, besides itsproper load, only the weight of its beam and the hinged bottoms, whichis insignificant. Moreover, where, as in the present case, atorsion1strip is employed for the oscillating pivot and the element offriction thus removed, the remaining pivotal connections offer nodifficulties, inasmuch as their resisting friction is practicallyeliminated by the relative increase in the effective weight of grain inthe filled bucket over the decreasing statical moment of the opposingweight IV, whereby the stoppage of the apparatus at a dead-center isimpossible with proper adjustments, and its action is always uniform.

We claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States- 1. The improved grain-meter embodying acentrally-fulcrumed balance-beam secured between two fixed receptacles,two fixed receptacles joined at the top to the delivery-conduit, acontrolling-valve arranged at the junction of the same to close thereceivingconduit at the median position of the valve, bottoms hinged tosaid receptacles, upheld by the beamterminals, a rigid standard risingvertically from the beam centrally and actuating the coutrolling-valveby suitable connections, and an overbalancing-weight' held adj ustablyupon the standard, substantially as set forth.

2. In a grain-meter of the character described, embodying twodischarging-receptacles alternately supplied from a common conduit, theeombination,with the receptacles and their discharging mechanism, of theconduit flared at its terminus to a semi-cylindrical section, and thepivoted valve operating therein, as described, to control two openingsand close the discharge through one before opening the other,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED SPRINGER. WVILLIAM KENT.

\Vituesses for Alfred Springer:

L. M. HOSEA, C. D. KERR.

\Vitnesses for William Kent: J. G. J ULIUS LANGBEIN, EMIL REINL.

